I was walking through the snow
|
When I saw a distant glow
|
Of a farmhouse nestled down beneath the trees
|
With a guitar on my back
|
I thought it sure can't hurt to ask
|
If I could stay the night
|
And sing a pretty song for free
|
|
I walked up to the house
|
And then I knocked hard on the door
|
That old dark piece of wood
|
She fell right in there on the floor
|
And as she did a fire burst out on all sides
|
I wondered what the hell was going on inside
|
|
Then the music that I heard
|
It was bizarre, it was absurd
|
Like no banjo fiddle bass I'd ever seen
|
I stepped into a room of flames
|
Shook my head and looked again
|
It was the kind of company to make you scream
|
|
It was a devil's hootenanny
|
An old-time fire band
|
A drunken whiskey choir singing
|
Round me you understand
|
And then they said, "We've been searching near and far
|
For a thing like you to sing and play guitar"
|
|
Well I opened up my case
|
And all the blood rushed to my face
|
I sang a fragile note, picked a minor tune
|
Well those devils yelled and clapped
|
And all their asses they did slap
|
Before too long we were arm and arm beneath the moon
|
|
Cuz that old house burnt on down
|
There were cinders on the ground
|
I snuggled up inside, closed my eyes
|
I was sleeping sound
|
And I dreamt of summer nights down by the sea
|
With a devil's banjo playing on my knee
|
|
-----------------
|
Devil's Hootenanny
|
Laura Veirs |